Dewey Bob

All grown up and newly out on his own, a hayseed raccoon named Dewey Bob Crockett sets out to build a life around his instincts for collecting and hoarding things. But even though Dewey Bob loves the thrill of the hunt--the sorting, the cleaning, and the turning of odds and ends into useful or fanciful contraptions (one of which fills a vertical gatefold)-- he is lonely. Why not try to collect friends like he collects buttons? Reflecting, perhaps, the hodgepodge that is Dewey Bob's natural element, Schachner's (the Skippyjon Jones series) longwinded story is a jumble of voices and art styles. She drops her gs (albeit inconsistently), sprinkles her text with countrified turns of phrase ("I'm as clean as the beans are green!"), and liberally uses word bubbles to convey dialogue, poems, and songs that comment on the action, all to dizzying, distracting effect. Her artwork is more successful: with his tiny, earnest eyes, and huge head, Dewey is downright adorable, and Schachner's skillful layering of watercolor and pencil textures with photo collage gives the story a homespun, scrapbooked feel. Ages 3-5. (Sept.)

Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2--For a young raccoon, Dewey Bob has loads of character. Despite a plethora of hobbies and amusing predilections, from collecting buttons to being "as clean as the beans are green," and a knack for "decoratin'," Dewey Bob finds himself lonely when he strikes out on his own. Fortunately, his inventiveness comes in handy when he meets a kitten who can't walk, scoring him a friend. With fresh colors, handwritten lettering, and lush textures reminiscent of Melissa Sweet's work, the mixed-media illustrations fairly glow with endearing whimsy. Inspirational quotes and lively poems are integrated deftly into the images. However, the charm of the illustrations doesn't fully extend to the text. The story has a few too many ideas in it to fill out a traditional story arc, and the writing is a tad rambly. The down-home country dialect may delight listeners with its playful phrasing but may also pose challenges as a read-aloud. VERDICT This sweet, homespun (if rather long-winded) story will appeal to Schachner's many Skippyjon Jones fans and will introduce a new character to the canon.--Erin Reilly-Sanders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"With his tiny, earnest eyes, and huge head, Dewey is downright adorable, and Schachner's skillful layering of watercolor and pencil textures with photo collage gives the story a homespun, scrapbooked feel." —Publishers Weekly

"The mixed-media illustrations fairly glow with endearing whimsy... This sweet, homespun...story will appeal to Schachner's many Skippyjon Jones fans and will introduce a new character to the canon." —School Library Journal

"The illustrations are captivating...they are a joy to sit and gaze at, making the story so much more enjoyable. All ages can enjoy Dewey Bob, his antics, and his adventure." —School Library Connection

"Schachner's folksynarrative, full of charming couplets in speech bubbles from Dewey, is well matched by her delightfullyjumbled collage illustrations, combining snippets of paper and photographs with soft, gentle watercolorfigures. Little ones will love poring over Dewey's collections to find treasures, and the heartwarming text...makes for a spirited read-aloud." —Booklist